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Maternal and Birth Characteristics Are Relevant to the Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods in Young Adults: Results from the Nutritionists’ Health Study
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Program Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Street Professor Costa Mendes, 1608, Fortaleza 60430-140, CE, Brazil
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Nutrition Department, State University of Ceará, Dr. Silas Munguba Avenue, 1700, Fortaleza 60714-903, CE, Brazil
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Postgraduate Program in Public Health, State University of Ceará, Dr. Silas Munguba Avenue, 1700, Fortaleza 60714-903, CE, Brazil
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Nutrition Department, University of Fortaleza, Washington Soares Avenue, 1321, Fortaleza 60811-905, CE, Brazil
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(9), 1321; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22091321 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 6 June 2025
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Revised: 13 August 2025
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Accepted: 22 August 2025
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Published: 25 August 2025
Abstract
Background: One’s dietary pattern throughout life is established during the perinatal period, especially in the intrauterine environment. This study aims to analyze whether maternal and birth characteristics are associated with food consumption in young adults using baseline data from the Nutritionists’ Health Study (NutriHS). Methods: We employed cross-sectional analysis of data from 386 undergraduate nutrition students and nutritionists. Current food consumption was evaluated as per the NOVA classification. The maternal and birth factors included maternal age, parity, type of childbirth, health problems during pregnancy, prematurity, and birth weight, and multiple correspondence analysis of these variables was performed to identify patterns in them. Results: The energy contribution of ultra-processed foods was positively associated with the pattern characterized by participants whose mothers were 19 years of age or younger, primiparous, and had a vaginal delivery (β = 0.48; 95% confidence interval = 0.02, 1.66). Conclusions: We concluded that maternal age at birth was associated with the dietary patterns of adult children. Participants whose mothers were 19 or younger at birth had significantly higher consumption of ultra-processed foods in adulthood compared to those whose mothers were older.
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MDPI and ACS Style
Penha, S.C.; Bezerra, I.N.; Azevedo, D.V.; Sampaio, H.A.C.; Carioca, A.A.F.
Maternal and Birth Characteristics Are Relevant to the Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods in Young Adults: Results from the Nutritionists’ Health Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22, 1321.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22091321
AMA Style
Penha SC, Bezerra IN, Azevedo DV, Sampaio HAC, Carioca AAF.
Maternal and Birth Characteristics Are Relevant to the Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods in Young Adults: Results from the Nutritionists’ Health Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2025; 22(9):1321.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22091321
Chicago/Turabian Style
Penha, Sthefani C., Ilana N. Bezerra, Daniela V. Azevedo, Helena A. C. Sampaio, and Antonio A. F. Carioca.
2025. "Maternal and Birth Characteristics Are Relevant to the Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods in Young Adults: Results from the Nutritionists’ Health Study" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 22, no. 9: 1321.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22091321
APA Style
Penha, S. C., Bezerra, I. N., Azevedo, D. V., Sampaio, H. A. C., & Carioca, A. A. F.
(2025). Maternal and Birth Characteristics Are Relevant to the Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods in Young Adults: Results from the Nutritionists’ Health Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(9), 1321.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22091321
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